Contact brush for timers



H. T. HASKINS.

CONTACT BRUSH FOR TIMERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR 22. i921.

Patented Aug. 8, 1922;

2 ,lk wllllllllmm llllllllllllll HARRY 'r. nesmus, or DEN-YER, ooLoaAno.

coiu'rao'r nausn FOR 'rrMEns.

Specification of Letters latent.

latentedAu 5 1922' Application filed Manage, 1921. Serial N0.454,434.

1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, "HARRY Tyl-lasnms, a citizen of the United Statesiof America, residing at the city and county of Denver and State. of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Contact Brush for Timers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in distributor brushes for commutator timer rings for internal combustion engines, and is designed as an improvement over a similar device for which an application for a patent in the United States was filed on August 2?, 1920, bearing Serial Number $064107. y

The object of the present invention is to provide a resilient spring distributor brush which makes a positive sliding contact with all contact points of the timer, whereby a strong steady spark is assured.

Further, to provide a metal sliding contactdistributor brush which is ,pivotally attached to a support secured on the cam shaft of an internal combustion engine, said brush being held in positive engagement with the timer ring by a spring mounted on said support, and which is so arranged that should the brush break, said spring would immediately engage the timer and. act as a brush until its replacement by a new brush. These objects are accomplished by the mechanism illustrated inthe accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a sideview of an automobile engine, illustrating the application of my invention. 1 I

Fig. 2 is a front view showing the improved resilient brush connected to the cam shaft of an engine and inengagement with the commutator ring, the comn'iutator casing being in section.

Fig.3 is a sectioirview on the line of Figure 2, the distributor brush being shown in full lines. h

Fig. 4 is a perspective new r the distributor brush, 'itssupport, and its tension spring. l g

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the brush proper, detached, and looking at the opposite side tothat shown in Figure 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the blank from which the brush support is formed. And

Fig. 7 isa perspective view of the front end of the engine casing with the commuta tor thereon. y p I Referring to the accompanying drawings:

The numeral 1 designates an automobile engine; 2, the. casing which encloses the valveturning gears of the engine; 3, the commutator case; 4, thecam shaft; 5, the

crank shaft; 6, the small timing gear WlllCh is secured to the crank shaft; 7, thelarge 3 timing gear which is secured to the cam shaft, and 8, the fiber timing ring whichis secured to the innerwall of the commutator casing. i U

The above named parts are in general use in automobile engines and form no part of the present invention and are mentioned only to show the co-operative relation between them and the present invention which relates solely to the spark timing distributor brush, which by reason of its construction and arrangement assures a positive contact between the said brush and the contact points of the timer ring, therebygiving a stronger and steadier spark than can be producedby the timers in general use at the present time. i I

" The distributor brushforming the present invention comprises the brush proper, 9, a

support, 10, for said, brush, and a tension spring 11,ror hold1ng the brush in continu- 'ous contact with the timer ring, which parts are constructed and arranged in the following manner:

The support 10 is'made from a metalstrip ofythe shape shown in. Figure 6. Approximately' one-half of this strip is of greater.

width than the remaining portion, the narrower portion being-about two-thirds of the width of the wider portion. The wider portion of the strip is rolled upon itself to form .a hub 12, which is adapted to fit ti ghtly upon the outer end of the cam shaftd, which projet-ts" into the commutator casing 3, and. which is formed with a'shoulder13, against which the inner edge of the hub 12 abuts.

A'recess 1 is cut into the hub from its outer edge, and this recessfits over a pin 15, which is driven into a hole in the end portion of the camshaft, whereby the support is held against turning on the said shaft. A second shoulder 16 is formed on the shaft, slightly beyond where the pin enters, and the reduced portion of the shaft beyond the shoulder 16 is threaded, as shown. A cupped washer 17 is slipped upon the threaded end of the shaft and against the shoulder 16, the rim portion of said washer surrounding the outer end portions of the hub 12, and thus serving to hold the'pin 15 inits hole, as will be understood by reference to Figure 3, and a nut 18 is screwed upon the end of the shaft and against the washer, thereby holding the washer in place on the shaft. The narrow portion of the support is curved outward as shown in Figures 2 and 4;, and. its free end portion is bent upon itself to form a roll 19, and a slot 20 is formed in this narrow partof the support, which extends from the roll 19 about to where the wide portion ot the support l engins.

The brush 9 is made of the best quality 01? spring steel, one end portion of which is wider than the opposite end portion, and this wide portion is rounded and is bent into semicircular form, as shown at 21. The curred end 2]. terms the contact end oi the brush. and give it the necessary wearing quality.

The tu'iposite end of the brush is rolled upon itself to term a sleeve 22, which is of a size to litclosely over the roll 19, and the tree straight end of this sleeve is formed with a projecting tongue 23, as clearly shown in Figure 5. In slipping the sleeve 29, over the roll 19, the outer or contact end of the brush is swung down to rest against the hub 12 of the support so that the tongue will not contact with the edge of the support and when the sleeve is in place on the roll, the brush is swung, up to the posi tion shown in Figure 1, and in this position the tongue 23 projects through the slot 20 and prevents the brush from being accidentally disconnected from the support. Two transverse slots 24, are also cut in the strip 10 near the free end of the wide portion :t'ron'i which the hub 12 is formed, and one end of the spring 11 is passed through these two holes in the manner shown in Figure 2, so that the short portion ot the spring, between the two holes, lies against the inner face of the hub, and the adjacent end of the spring is bent down against the outside ot the hub to prevent the spring from being accidentally detached from the hub. The tree portion of the spring is then bent around, as shown, and its free end is passed through the slot 20, and permitted to hear agg'ail'lst the under side of the brush, which is thus 'lorced outward until the edge oi? the sleeve 2, on each side of the tongue 23. engages the support, by which further outward movement of the brush is prevented. The assembled support, brush and spring, now appear as shown in Figure 4,

and is ready to be secured upon the end of the cam shaft.

In practice, the common form of con1- inutator casing 3 and timer ring 8 are employed in connection with the improved brush, the said casing 3 being adapted to he turned upon its axis on the engine casing in the usual manner, to advance or retard the spark, and being held in engagement it is therefore ease hardened to' with the engine casing by a spring one end of which is bolted to the engine casing, while the opposite end thereof bears resiliently agzjainst the end of the casing 23.

In order to replace one of the common form 0t roller contacts with one of the iinproved spring distributor brushes, or to replace a worn or broken brush with a new one, the free end of the spring 25 is lifted from the casing 3, permitting the same to be withdrawn ttron'i its bearing in the end of the engine casing, and thus enabling the old. roller or brush, the use may be, to be renewed. The hub 12 ot the support is then slipped upon the end o the vain shatt, the lnrush being pressed down against the tcn- 1 )"1 of spring 11,. to enable it to pass 'ii'uer ring]; 8, the pin 15 is passed. recess 141- in the hub and into hole in the cam. shaft, the cupped washer .7 is then slipped over the end (it the hub hold the pin in place, and the nut 18 rewed on the end of the shaft and against he cupped washer, thus securely holding (he bru h and its parts upon the shaft. The

I being under tension exerts a continuous outward pressure on the brush which holds it positively a ainst the ring 8, and as the cam sha'tt rotates, the brush slides smoothly over the contacts 26, in the timer s, which are connected by wires with the coil box in the usual manner. As the spring has a sliding engagement with the 26 the tacos oi the said contacts oil smoothly and evenly, and never in. ruts or hollows, as is the case where the employed, and or this reason l. !.'il$-fl1 is not subject to a 1i limping .ng: action, with the consequent imi ncnt of brush and "ontaet resulting nec urily in iinpertect sparking.

The improved spring brush produces such a strong}; and steady tlow o't' current at the spark plugg s that it they are lcept clean it is impossible tor them to miss sparl-ringg', and thus with the cnuiloynient oi. the improved spring brush, a car will run more evenly and with r greater mileage from a given quantity 0 fuel than with the eouuuon type or" roller brush. i

lVhile I have illustrated the rcl'erred construction and arrangement of the current distributor brush, T do not wish to be limited to the pre ise arrangemcnt, as Various chai'urcs might be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Haring described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1.. A. current distributor brush of the character described. comprising a metal strip bent to term a hub ha ing an arm projectthcrcfroin, the outer end of which is bent upon itself to term a roll,

brush, one end of which is bent to form a sleeve which is pivotally mounted on said roll, means for preventing accidental disconnection of the brush from the roll, and

one portion of which is narrower than the other and formed with a slot, the wider portion being bent upon itself to form a hub, while the narrower part projects therefrom, its free end being formed into a roll; a spring brush, one end of which formed into a sleeve which is pivotally mounted on said. roll, a tongue on said sleeve which extends through said slot and prevents accidental disconnection of the brush from the roll, and a spring, one endof which is secured to said hub, its opposite end portion being bent around and passed through said slot in position to exert an outward pressure against the under side of said brush.

3. A current distributorbrush of the character described, comprising a metal strip,

one portion of which is narrower than the other and formed with a longitudinal slot, the free end of said narrow portion being formed in a roll, the wider portion of said strip being bent to form a band or hub and having a recess in one edge thereof; a spring steel brush, one end of which" terminates 111 a curve, its opposite end being bent upon itself to form a sleeve which is pivotally mounted on said roll, an integral tongueon the edge of said sleeve which projects through said slot and prevents accidental disconnection of the sleeve from the roll, and a spring, one end of which is secured in apertures in said hub, its opposite end portion being bent around and passed through said slot in position to exert an outward pressure against the under side of said brush.

l. A current distributor brush of the character described, comprising a resilient sup port consisting of a band or hub having a recess in one edge thereof, and an outwardly curved arm provided with a longitudinal slot, the end portion of said arm being bent upon itself to form a roll, a steel spring brush having acurved contact end, its opposite end being in the form of asleeve which is pivotally mounted on said roll, and having an integral tongue which extends through said slot and prevents accidental disengagement of the sleeve from the roll, the tongue being freed from the slot when the contact end of the brush is swung inward against the said hub, the edge of said sleeve on each side of said tongue being adapted to engage the under side of said arm to prevent excessive outward movement of the brush, and a spring, one end of which is secured in apertures in said hub, its opposite end portion being bent around and passed through said slot in position to exert an outward pressure against the under side of the brush.

5. The combination with the cam shaft of an internal combustion engine, and a timer ring concentric with the axis of said shaft, of a spring strip, one portion of which is in the form of an arm, the free end of which is formed in a roll, the other portion being formed into a hub which fits upon said shaft, and means for securing said hub against rotation on said shaft, a brush, one end of which is formed into a sleeve which is pivotallymounted on the rolled end of said arm, said arm having a slot therein, and a spring, one end of which is passed through apertures in said hub, and between the hub and the shaft, its opposite end portion being bent around andpassed through the slot in said arm in position topress the free end of said brush into engagement with the inner face of said timer rin In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, HARRY r. HAsKiNs.

' Witnesses:

G. SARGENT ELLIOTT,

EMILY ROBERTS. 

